Month: July 2016

Lulworth Cove & Durdle Door, Dorset – Jurassic Coast Adventure Pt 2

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On our 4th day of Jolly’s Jurassic Adventure we left Corfe Castle to travel a short 11.5 miles westwards to Lulworth Cove for a cheeky one-nighter on a sea-view pitch at Durdle Door Holiday Park.

http://www.lulworth.com/durdle-door-holiday-park/camping-touring-pods.aspx

Again, the weather remained dry and hot.  We quickly pitched up and set the barbie going for a tasty, relaxing lunch looking out to sea, before exploring the immediate area around the site.

From the site you can take the uphill walk along the cliff side over to the 10,000 year old Lulworth Cove with heritage centre and village.

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http://www.lulworthonline.co.uk/

We were perfectly placed to appreciate Lulworth Cove and also the magnificent Durdle Door arch situated along a shingle beach.  In fact, just a short stroll from our pitch brought us out at 2 grass stump seats (an older couple we passed gave us a tip to view the arch from here as they had been returning to do for the last 10 years!).  We were grateful to them for sharing this with us as it meant we were able to avoid the crowds down below and discovered it to be a very tranquil viewpoint.  We therefore decided to crack open a bottle of bubbly and spent a relaxing afternoon making the most of this special site without another soul around us.   Perfect!

The day was over quickly but our short stopover had been rewarding in so many ways and well worth every second.  We sat and watched a lovely sunset before turning in for the night.

Next stop the following morning was to be 17 miles further westwards to Chickerell, just outside Weymouth.

ONWARD!>>>>

Suzie & Bri

 

 

Corfe Castle, Dorset – Jurassic Coast Adventure Pt 1

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On 5th June, 2016, after some preparation and planning, Jolly was loaded up and fuelled ready to head off on our 10-night Jurassic Adventure.

The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of Southern England. It stretches a distance of 95 miles from Orcombe Point near Exmouth in East Devon to Old Harry Rocks near Swanage in East Dorset.  The coastline reveals 185 million years of our Earth’s history through the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.  We planned on covering the majority of the coast, from it’s Eastern-most point near Swanage to Seaton towards the West.

http://jurassiccoast.org/

Map to plan

Jurassic Coast map

It was a 300-mile journey to Part 1 of our Adventure, our first destination being Corfe Castle on the Isle of Purbeck, not an actual island but a peninsula in Dorset noted for its spectacular cliffs and land-forms, which include Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door.  Corfe Castle is the name given to the village as well as the Castle itself  (built by William the Conqueror and dating back to the 11th Century).

We had a clear run down, arriving in good time to glorious sunshine as we checked into Corfe Castle Camping & Caravanning Club Site.  With the sun beating down and a sunny pitch allocated we thought it only appropriate that we set up and sit out for a few hours rest after the journey and to allow time to take in the scenic woodland setting of our home for the next 3 days & nights.

http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/campsites/uk/dorset/wareham/corfecastle

corfepitched

Jolly pitched up in the sunshine

We later had a walk into the village of Corfe Castle, an approx. 20 minute countryside walk from site mostly downhill.

Walk into the village

There are a number of shops, cafes and pubs in the village and we enjoyed a drink in The Greyhound before a lovely evening meal at the 16th Century Bankes Arms Hotel.  Both great pubs with friendly and welcoming locals.

http://www.greyhoundcorfe.co.uk/

http://www.bankesarmshotel.co.uk/corfegreyhound

corfemap

Corfe Castle Village map

corfecentre

The castle silhouette from the village centre

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Sunset in the village

During our stay at Corfe Castle we enjoyed excellent weather and so jumped on our bikes for a day, initially intending to cycle the leisurely 5.5 mile Rempstone Short Loop.  However, after finding the directions for this a little confusing and the ride not the most inspiring, we made up our own route.  Not before having to negotiate a field containing a bull though.  Suzie’s never cycled so fast! bikeridebull

We eventually ended up further afield than originally planned at Knoll Beach at Studland Bay, which is a beautiful area to spend some time and was well worth the effort.

knollbeach

Knoll Beach, Studland Bay

knollbeachdrink

Refreshments at Knoll Beach before the return ride

knollbeachsuzenbri

On our return journey we had a bizarre encounter on the cycle path with a naked rambler …

bikeridenakedrambler

THE Naked Rambler?

Another full day was spent on a trip to Swanage.  We travelled to Swanage on the preserved steam railway from the quaint old-fashioned station at Corfe Castle which itself takes you back in time and also houses a small museum.

http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/

Travel back in time at Corfe Castle railway station

Swanage is a traditional Victorian seaside town with the attractions you would expect from such a resort, including a blue flag beach.

http://www.visitswanage.com

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Swanage seafront

We took a boat trip along the coast into Poole Harbour, which allowed us to take in the famous landmark that is Old Harry Rocks, the first major point of interest on the eastern side of the Jurassic Coast.  The weather was kind and the view of these chalk stack formations was pretty impressive.

Old Harry Rocks

The boat trip also took us past Sandbanks which crosses the mouth of Poole Harbour.  Sandbanks apparently has, by area, the fourth highest land value in the world, the properties here, therefore, being popular with the rich & famous.  We didn’t have time to explore Poole Harbour but it looked well worth a visit – maybe next time.

Poole Harbour
Sandbanks

All in all a great part 1 of Joly’s Jurassic adventure!  Our next stop was an overnight seaview stay at Durdle Door, near Lulworth.   ONWARD!>>>>

Suzie & Bri